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Trump Pardons Developer Tim Leiweke Amid University of Texas Bidding-Rigging Indictment

02:57 PM, 12/04/2025
Trump Pardons Developer Tim Leiweke Amid University of Texas Bidding-Rigging Indictment

President Trump pardoned Tim Leiweke, a real estate developer indicted in July for allegedly conspiring to rig the bidding on a University of Texas arena project. The Dec. 2 pardon, disclosed in DOJ records, arrives amid an unusually large number of clemencies since Trump returned to the White House. Leiweke thanked the president, while the Justice Department said the alleged scheme deprived the university and taxpayers of competitive bidding benefits.

President Donald Trump has pardoned Tim Leiweke, a prominent real estate executive who was indicted in July on allegations that he conspired to rig the bidding for an arena project at the University of Texas.

Department of Justice records released Wednesday show the pardon was dated Dec. 2. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"I do not have the words to adequately convey my profound gratitude to President Trump," Leiweke said in a statement. "This has been a long and difficult journey for my wife, my daughter, and me. The President has given us a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards."

Prosecutors alleged in July that Leiweke offered subcontracts to a rival firm while both companies competed to develop the University of Texas basketball arena. Leiweke’s company ultimately won the 2019 bid to build the Moody Center and continues to operate the venue, which hosts the school’s men's and women's basketball teams.

"As outlined in the indictment, the defendant rigged a bidding process to benefit his own company and deprived a public university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding," Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater said in a July statement announcing the indictment.

The pardon comes amid a wave of high-profile clemencies issued since Trump returned to the White House, several of which have drawn public scrutiny. Recent pardons include those of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández and Texas Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife.

Leiweke is best known for developing L.A. Live, the entertainment complex around Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. He previously served as CEO of companies with stakes in the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings, and later served as CEO of the company that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. His brother, Tod Leiweke, is a former NFL chief operating officer and a part-owner of the Seattle Kraken.

The pardon is likely to renew debate over the scope of executive clemency and its role in accountability for alleged misconduct involving public contracts and taxpayer-funded projects.

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